Hinge assembly

ABSTRACT

A hinge assembly suitable for swingably mounting a door on a jamb comprising a number of substantially identical hinge units, and a hinge pin for pivotally interconnecting the units. Each hinge unit includes a hinge plate and a knuckle on one side margin of the plate. In one embodiment of the invention, the hinge pin is receivable only within one end of the knuckle of each hinge plate, the opposite end of the knuckle having means preventing insertion or removal of the hinge pin past the opposite end. This embodiment is suitable for hanging a door on a jamb and prevents removal of the door from the jamb when the door is closed. In another embodiment, the hinge plates are L-shaped and the hinge pin extends through the knuckles. This embodiment is suitable for mounting cabinet doors on a stile. The hinge plates of both embodiments can be mounted without the need for morticing.

United States Patent [191 Klay [ Mar. 11, 1975 1 HINGE ASSEMBLY [75] Inventor: William F. Klay, Palo Alto, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Dale M. Waltz, Los Altos Hills,

Calif. a part interest 22 Filed: Nov. 6, 1972 211 App]. No.: 304,293

[52] US. Cl. 16/128, 16/135 [51] Int. Cl E05d 9/00 [58] Field of Search 16/128, 168, 169, 136, 16/135, 152

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,668,595 5/1928 McAuliffe 16/135 1,754,013 4/1930 Fisher 16/169 2,748,420 6/1956 Clover 16/170 FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 952,864 5/1949 France 16/170 530,355 9/1921 France 16/170 994,970 10/1951 France 16/136 890,553 11/1943 16/170 994,970 5/1951 France 16/136 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Assistant Examiner-Doris L. Troutman Attorney, Agent, or F irmTownsend and Townsend [57] ABSTRACT A hinge assembly suitable for swingably mounting a door on a jamb comprising a number of substantially identical hinge units, and a hinge pin for pivotally interconnecting the units. Each hinge unit includes a hinge plate and a knuckle on one side margin of the plate. In one embodiment of the invention, the hinge pin is receivable only within one end of the knuckle of each hinge plate, the opposite end of the knuckle having means preventing insertion or removal of the hinge pin past the opposite end. This embodiment is suitable for hanging a door on a jamb and prevents removal of the door from the jamb when the door is closed. In another embodiment, the hinge plates are L-shaped and the hinge pin extends through the knuckles. This embodiment is suitable for mounting cabinet doors on a stile. The hinge plates of both embodiments can be mounted without the need for morticing.

10 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTED 11975 3. 869,752

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HINGE ASSEMBLY This invention relates to improvements in door hinges and, more particularly, to an improved hinge assembly formed of a number of substantially identical hinge units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While conventional hinges for mounting two or more relatively swingable parts have been simplified in the past, further simplification is always desirable to reduce manufacturing costs and to make it easier for the end user to mount the hinges in place. This is especially true where the hinges are made for use by the do-it-yourself handyman who has no special skills in using hinges for hanging doors and the like.

Conventional hinges for hanging doors on jambs have two hinge plates with interleaving hinge pin knuckles and a hinge pin that is dropped into the knuckle segments from above. The knuckles project outwardly from the door and its jamb and it is possible to lift the hinge pin from the hinges and to remove the door even though the door is closed and locked. Thus, a locked door is not burglar-proof when it utilizes conventional hinges of the type described.

In hanging cabinet doors on a stile, a pair of adjacent doors are usually mounted by their own hinge assemblies on the stile and the stile bridges the adjacent vertical side margins of the two doors. This requires at least two hinge assemblies for each door and slightly reduces the area of the entrance openings closed by the two doors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to an improved hinge assembly which utilizes a number of hinge units,

each comprised of a hinge plate and a knuckle, and a hinge pin receivable in the knuckles of the hinge units for pivotally interconnecting the same. Eachhinge unit has its knuckle symmetrically located with its hinge plate; thus, the hinge units of the assembly are interchangeable with each other as to their relative locations in the assembly itself. This feature permits asingle, stock hinge part to beused with ahinge pin to form a hinge assembly which includes two or more hinge units.

The hinge units ofthe assembly of this invention are arranged, when interconnected by a hinge pin, so as not to require morticing of the two parts, such as a door and jamb, to which the assembly is coupled. This fea' ture greatly simplifies the mounting of the two parts together and allows one of little skill to accomplish this task.

In one form of the invention, two identical hinge units are used and they are constructed in a manner to prevent removal of the hinge pin from the knuckles thereof when the hinge units are prevented from moving away from each other in a direction axially of the knuckles. This is achieved by providing blocking means on the outer ends of the two knuckles, thus permitting the hinge units to be connected or disconnected only by being moved axially onto or off the hinge pin. Thus,

a closed door using this hinge assembly cannot be separated from its jamb as it is commonly done by removal of the hinge pin from the knuckle because a closed door cannot be elevated due to the presence of the overhead frame member. If the door is locked as well as closed, the hinge assembly of this invention renders the door substantially burglar-proof.

Another form of the hinge assembly of this invention utilizes three identical hinge units, each having an L- shaped hinge plate and a knuckle at one side margin of the hinge plate. The assembly is suitable for mounting a pair of cabinet doors on a stile wherein the hinge units are stacked one above the other and the two doors, having adjacent end faces, separated only by the thickness of a hinge plate when the doors are closed. This feature permits a single panel, such as plywood, to be cut at its midpoint, to be used as the two doors when a pair of the hinge units are connected to the doors and the third unit is connected to the stile. The three hinge units are all pivotally interconnected by a hinge pin which can be inserted into the knuckles when the latter are aligned with each other. This hinge assembly provides a simple means of quickly and easily hanging relatively swingable parts, such as cabinet doors, where the parts are to be positioned as close to each other as possible and without having to mortice the parts.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a hinge assembly formed of substantially identical hinge units and a hinge pin for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units wherein the knuckle of each hinge unit is symmetrically located relative to its hinge plate and the hinge units, when assembled, are in end-to-end relationship so that the hinge units are interchangeable as to position in the assembly itself and they can be mounted on a pair of relatively swingable parts without having to mortice the parts.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hinge assembly comprised of a pair of relatively shiftable hinge parts, each with a pin-receiving knuckle, wherein each knuckle is constructed ,to receive a hinge pin at one end thereof but to prevent insertion or removal of the hinge pin. through the opposite end thereof, whereby the hinge assembly is suitable for use for hanging a door on ajamb and for making the door substantially burglar-proof so long asthe door is closed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hinge assembly for cabinets having a stile and apair of doors wherein the hinge units of the hinge assembly can be connected to the stile and the doors in amanner to permit the doors to be almost abutting each other when they are closed and to eliminate the need for an individual hinge assemblyfor each door.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved hinge unit having a hinge plate and a knuckle symmetrically mounted at one side margin of the hinge plate whereby the hinge unit can provide a stock part for a hinge assembly requiring two or more hinge units so that the hinge units of the assembly can be interchangeable with each other and can be mounted to respective, relatively swingable parts without the need to mortice the parts.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings for an illustration of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of a door mounted by means of the hinge assembly of this invention on a door frame with the door in an open condition;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, exploded view of the hinge assembly of this invention, parts being broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a is a view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating a slight modification of the hinge assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of a hinge unit of the hinge assembly showing the way in which a hinge pin is blocked against movement in one direction;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the door in a close condition;

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of the door in a closed condition;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of two hinge units showing the bevel on the end faces thereof;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the hinge unit of this invention;

FIG. 9 is an end elevational view of the hinge unit of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the hinge unit of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the hinge assembly formed by three hinge units of the type shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a horizontal section through a cabinet having two doors mounted by the hinge assembly of FIG. 11 on the stile of the cabinet; and

FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the stile with the hinge assembly mounted thereon.

A first embodiment of the hinge assembly of this invention is shown in an expanded form in FIG. 2 and denoted by the numeral 10. This embodiment is suitable for use in hanging a door on a jamb.

Assembly 10 comprises an upper hinge unit 12 and a lower hinge unit 13, hinge units 12 and 13 being of substantially the same constructionuAssembly 10 further includes a cylindrical hinge pin 14 for pivotally interconnecting hinge units 12 and 13.

Each of the two hinge units comprises a flat hinge plate 16 provided with a number of screw holes 18 therethrough. Each screw hole is countersunk from both sides of the plate in the manner shown in FIG. 3 to permit the hinge plate to be mounted on a door or jamb with either face in engagement therewith.

Each hinge plate 16 has a side margin provided with a generally tubular knuckle 20 which extends throughout the length of the side margin and projects slightly beyond the end marginal edges 22 of the hinge plate.

One form of the knuckle, shown in FIG. 3, is cylindrical and integral with the hinge plate. However, the knuckle need not be cylindrical but can be merely arcuate, as shown in FIG. 3a, such that the hinge plate and knuckle of each hinge unit can be formed by a stamping operation from an initially flat piece of metal. The only requirement is that the knuckle be of a size sufficient to permit it to receive and retain hinge pin 14. The curved knuckle (FIG. 3a) has an end edge 24 which is adjacent to the corresponding side margin of the hinge plate. In either case, the plane of the hinge plate is substantially coincident with a diametral center line of the knuckle so that the knuckle is substantially symmetrical with respect to the plane of the plate as shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a. This is indicated in FIG. 30 wherein the center line 25 of plate 16 passes through the central axis 27 of the adjacent knuckle 20.

, knuckle through such opposite end. For purposes of illustration, end 30 of each knuckle is open and the blocking means comprises a projection 32 integral with the knuckle and extending across the opening of end 30 to effectively reduce the diameter thereof. In FIG. 3, projection 32 is annular; in FIG. 3a, it is curved or arcuate. FIG. 4 shows how projection 32 prevents movement of the hinge pin out of the knuckle past end 30 thereof. Thus, the hinge pin can only enter and leave a knuckle through the open end 26 thereof.

Hinge pin 14 is provided with a flat, annular washer 34 removably mounted thereon. The washer can be of any suitable, low-friction material, such as bronze, Teflon or the like.

In use, assembly 10 is secured in the manner shown in FIG. 1 to a door 36 and a door frame 38 to mount the door for swinging movement relative to the door frame. Generally, a pair of assemblies 10 will be used to pivotally interconnect door 36 and frame 38. In each assembly 10, the lower hinge unit 13 is secured by screws to the outer surface of the jamb 40 of door frame 38 and the upper hinge unit 12 is secured to the end face 44 of the door. This is done without having to mortice the door and the jamb. Knuckles 20 of upper and lower hinge units 12 and 13 will be vertically disposed and spaced slightly outwardly from the door and the jamb, respectively. In mounting each lower hinge unit 13 on jamb 40, open end 26 of the corresponding knuckle faces upwardly. However, open end 26 of hinge unit 12 on the door faces downwardly (FIG. 2). When the hinge units of the two hinge assemblies 10 are in place, hinge pins 14 are dropped into place and project upwardly from the open upper ends 26 of the knuckles of lower hinge units 13.

With the door in an open condition as shown in FIG. 1 and with the knuckles of upper hinge units 12 aligned with corresponding knuckles of lower hinge units 13, the door is lowered until knuckles 20 of upper hinge units 12 move onto corresponding hinge pins 14. Washers 34 will have been initially placed on the hinge pins; thus, when a door is finally hung, the upper knuckles will be supported on the washers and thereby the lower knuckles to permit the door to swing about an axis through the two hinge pins.

The door, when closed as shown in FIG. 6, cannot be removed from jamb 40 because of the presence of crosspiece 42 forming a part of the door frame. The door must be elevated to separate the upper hinge units from the lower hinge units and to do this requires that the door be open. The two hinge pins are inaccessible because of the blocking means at the upper ends of the upper hinge units and the lower ends of the lower hinge units. Thus, hinge assembly 10 provides a security measure for the door jamb combination which is simple in construction and extremely easy to mount to the door and the jamb. No morticing is required on the door and jamb because the hinge plates overlie each other in the manner shown in FIG. 5 when the door is closed. Thus, by simply measuring the door and jamb to properly locate the operative positions of the hinge units. one can easily hang a door using only a screwdriver.

Because hinge units 12 and 13 are identical to each other, they are interchangeable, i.e., hinge unit 12 can form the lower part of the hinge assembly and hinge unit 13 can form the upper part. The symmetrical loca tion of each knuckle relative to its corresponding hinge plate 16 and the fact that the screw holes 18 are countersunk from both sides contribute to this interchangeability feature.

Washer 34 will generally be used, however, even if it is not used, the hinge plates 16 of upper and lower hinge units 12 and 13 would not rub against each other because the knuckles are spaced slightly outwardly from the end margins 22 of the hinge plates as shown in FIG. 2. The flat end faces of the knuckles near openings 26 thus allow the knuckles to rub relative to each other if washer 34 is not used.

The teachings of the invention can be used to form a piano hinge wherein upper and lower hinge units 12 and 13 are spaced apart and have one or more additional hinge units therebetween. Each additional hinge unit will be identical in construction to hinge units 12 and 13, except that the additional hinge unit will have no blocking means, such as projection 32, on its knuckle. Thus, a hinge pin can extend completely through the knuckle. Each hinge unit can be provided with gauge holes 46 as shown in FIG. 2 adjacent to each end margin 22. A pair of nails can be inserted into cor responding holes 46 to serve as guides when the hinge plate is adapted to be secured to a door or jamb and to position the plane in accordance with the width thereof.

In use, the hinge units are connected to a pair of relatively shiftable members, such as a door and a jamb. A relatively long hinge pin will extend through the knuckles of the additional hinge units and into the knuckles ofthe upper and lower hinge units as described above with respect to assembly 10. In such a case, the hinge pin would not be accessible so long as the swingable member could not be moved longitudinally of the hinge pin relative to the fixed member. The additional hinge units would also be interchangeable with each other.

The first ends 26 of hinge units 12 and 13 can be beveled as shown in FIG. 7 so that they mate and complementally engage each other when door 36 is in a predetermined operative position relative to frame 38, such as when the door is closed. The two beveled end faces 26a and 26b are spaced apart in FIG. 7 merely for purposes of illustration; however, they complementally engage each other when the door is in the aforesaid operative position. No washer 34 is used between them. In this way, when the door is swung out of the aforesaid operative position, upper face 26a would be cammed by and ride upwardly of lower face 26b into a new position. However, the weight of the door and the bevel of faces 26a and 26b would bias the door back toward the operative position and, if unrestrained, the door would Another form of the hinge assembly of this invention is broadly denoted by the numeral 50 and illustrated in .FIGS. 8-13. Assembly 50 includes at least three substantially identical hinge units 52, 54 and 56 which are adapted to be pivotally interconnected by a hinge pin 58 having a head 60 at one end thereof. Each of the hinge units 52, 54 and 56 is provided with an L-shaped hinge plate 62 and a generally tubular knuckle 64. Hinge plate 62 has a pair of flat plate segments 66 and 68, segment 66 having screw holes therein and segment 68 having a side margin to which knuckle 64 is secured. Generally, knuckle 64 will be integral with segment 68 and each hinge unit can be formed from a single piece of metal, such as by a stamping operation. Holes 70 are countersunk from both sides for the same reasons mentioned above with respect to holes 18 of assembly 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, each knuckle is at least partially cylindrical and has a central axis 72 in the flat plane of segment 68, such plane being denoted by dashed line 74. Thus, the knuckle is symmetrical with respect to segment 68, whereby the hinge unit is reversible in use and thereby interchangeable with the other hinge units with respect to its relative position in assembly 50. Each segment 68 has a pair of opposed end margins 76 (FIG. 10) beyond which the ends of knuckle 64 slightly project.

In use, hinge assembly 50 operates to pivotally interconnect a pair of cabinet doors 78 and 80 on a vertical stile 82 forming a part of a cabinet 84 having a shelf 86 above which stile 82 extends. In FIG. 13, a possible arrangement of the hinge units of assembly 50 is shown. Segment 66 of hinge unit 52 is secured by screws to the outer, flat face of stile 82; segment 66 of hinge unit 54 is secured by screws to the inner, flat surface 84 of door 78; and segment 66 of hinge unit 56 is secured by screws to the inner, flat surface 86 of door 80.

When the hinge units are so mounted, hinge pin 58 is dropped into knuckles 64 when the latter are aligned with each other, thereby pivotally interconnecting stile 82 and doors 78 and 80 with the knuckles in substan tially end-to-end relationship and in stacked relationship to each other. In such a case, the adjacent end faces of doors 78 and 80 need only be spaced apart a distance equal to the thickness of a segment 68 as shown in FIG. 12 inasmuch as the various hinge units 52, 54 and 56 are stacked relative to each other. Also, the stile and the doors need not be morticed to accommodate the hinge units.

The construction of assembly 50 allows doors 78 and 80 to be made from a single sheet of material, such as plywood, by cutting the sheet into two parts to form the doors which can then immediately be mounted by the hinge units to the stile. When assembly 50 is properly mounted, the adjacent end faces of the doors are almost in substantially abutting relationship to each other as shown in FIG. 12. This allows the doors to swing independently of each other and relative to the stile. The doors are shown in dashed lines in FIG. 12 in partially open positions and in FIG. 13 in their closed conditions. It will, of course, be understood that another hinge assembly 50 can be so arranged in spaced relationship to that of the illustrated assembly 50 (FIG. 13) to properly hang the two doors.

The construction of hinge assembly 50 permits it to be used to form a piano hinge made up of a number of the hinge units, such as six or eight in number, with a single hinge pin interconnecting the knuckles of all the hinge units. Regardless of the application of assembly 50, the fact that the hinge units thereof are all identical in construction permits a single stock hinge part to be used in all applications.

A washer, such as washer 34, could be used between each pair of adjacent hinge units of assembly 50, if desired. Also, the end faces of at least certain of the hinge units could be beveled in the manner shown in FIG. 7 to bias the corresponding door or doors in predetermined directions.

I claim:

1. hinge assembly comprising: a pair, of substantially identical hinge units, each unit including a plate having a number of screw-receiving holes therethrough and a generally cylindrical, imperforate, pining plate; and a hinge pin loosely receivable in said knuckles for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units with the knuckles in aligned, endto-end relationship, each knuckle having an open, first end permitting the hinge pin to be inserted into and extend through major portion of the knuckle, the opposite end of each knuckle having projection means for blocking the movement of the hinge pin out of the knuckle past said opposite end, the hinge units adapted to be mounted in operative positions with the knuckles in aligned, end-to-end relationship to each other and with said first ends of the knuckles in proximity to each other, whereby the plates of said hinge units can be spaced from and coplanar with each other as they project in the same direction from the hinge pin so as to avoid engagement of the plates with each other and the need to mortise the structures to which the hinge units are to be attached.

2. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projection means is integral with the corresponding knuckle.

3. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein each plate has a row of gauge holes therethrough near and extending longitudinally of each end marginal edge, respectively.

4. A hinge assembly for swingably mounting a door on a jamb comprising: a pair of hinge units, each unit comprising a hinge plate provided with a number of holestherethrough and a generally continuous knuckle extending along the entire length of one side margin thereof, each hinge plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of the corresponding knuckle, each knuckle projecting outwardly from the end marginal edges of the corresponding plate; and a hinge pin for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units, each knuckle having a first, open end and a pin-receiving bore extending throughout a major portion thereof, the hinge units adapted to be mounted in respective operative positions on a door and a jamb, respectively, with the first ends of the knuckles in proximity to each other and with the knuckle corresponding to the door being above, in end-to-end relationship to, and in axial alignment with the knuckle corresponding to the jamb, said hinge pin being loosely receivable in the knuckles through said first ends thereof, the opposite end of each knuckle having means for blocking the insertion or removal of the hinge pin past said opposite end, the length of the hinge pin being sufficient to permit the pin to extend into and through a portion of both knuckles when the hinge units are mounted in said operative positions, whereby the hinge pin pivotally interconnects the knuckles and the plates of said hinge units can be maintained out of engagement with each other and can be secured to the door-and the jamb, respectively, without mortising the same.

5. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said blocking means comprises a projection integral with each knuckle, respectively, at said opposite end thereof, each first end being beveled, the bevels of the first ends being complementary to each other when the door is in a predetermined operative position relative to said jamb, whereby the door will be biased in a certain direction when the door is out of said position.

6. A hinge unit comprising: a plate having a generally cylindrical, tubular, pin-receiving knuckle secured to .and extending along the entire length of one side margin thereof, said plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of the knuckle, the ends of the knuckle projecting outwardly from adjacent end marginal edges, one of the ends of the knuckle being open to permit a hinge pin to be loosely inserted into and to extend through a major portion of the knuckle, the knuckle having projection means across the pin-receiving passage thereof near its opposite end for blocking the movement of the hinge pin past said opposite end of the knuckle.

7. A hinge assembly comprising: a pair of end hinge units and a central hinge unit for placement between the end units, each hinge unit including a hinge plate and a generally continuous knuckle secured to and extending along the entire length of one side margin of the hinge plate, each plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of its knuckle, the ends of each knuckle projecting outwardly from the adjacent end marginal edges of the corresponding plate; and a hinge pin for insertion through the central hinge unit and into the knuckles of the end hinge units, each of the end hinge units having means at one end thereof for blocking the movement of the hinge pin out of the same, whereby the hinge units form a piano hinge when the same are pivotally interconnected by said hinge pin.

8. A hinge assembly comprising: a number of substantially identical hinge units, each unit including an L-shaped hinge plate defining a pair of flat, mutually perpendicular segments, and a knuckle at one side margin of one of the segments remote from the other segment, the knuckle being symmetrically located relative to the plane of said one segment and having a pinreceiving bore therethrough, said hinge pins adapted to be mounted on respective, relatively swingable parts with said knuckles in end-to-end alignment with each other; and a hinge pin receivable within the knuckles when the same are aligned with each other for pivotally interconnecting said hinge units.

9. A hinge unit for a hinge assembly comprising: an L-shaped hinge plate having a pair of flat, mutually perpendicular segments, one of the segments adapted to be secured to a first of a pair of relatively shiftable parts, the other segment having a side margin provided with a pin-receiving knuckle thereon, the knuckle being symmetrically located relative to the plane of said other segment.

10. In combination: a door; ajamb, each of said door and said jamb having a vertical, unmortised surface; and a hinge assembly for swingably mounting the door on the jamb, said assembly including first and second pairs of hinge units, each unit comprising a hinge plate provided with a number of holes therethrough and a generally cylindrical knuckle extending along the entire length of one side margin thereof, and a hinge pin for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units of each pair, respectively, each knuckle having a first, open end and a pin-receiving bore extending throughout a major portion thereof, the plates of the hinge units of each pair being mounted in respective operative positions on the unmortised surfaces of the door and the jamb, respectively, with the first ends of the knuckles of each pair in proximity to each other and with the knuckles of the hinge units mounted on the door being above, in end-to-end relationship to, and in axial alignment with the knuckles of the hinge units mounted on the jamb, said hinge pins being loosely receivable in respective knuckles through said first ends thereof, the opposite end of the knuckle of each hinge unit mounted on the door having means for blocking the insertion or removal of the respective hinge pin past said opposite end of the knuckle, the length of each hinge pin being sufficient to permit the pin to extend into and through portions of respective knuckles, whereby the hinge pin pivotally interconnects the knuckles as the plates of said hinge units are secured to the door and the jamb, re-

spectively, without mortising the same. 

1. A hinge assembly comprising: a pair of substantially identical hinge units, each unit including a plate having a number of screw-receiving holes therethrough and a generally cylindrical, imperforate, pin-receiving knuckle integral with and extending along the entire length of one side margin of the plate, each plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of the corresponding knuckle, the ends of each knuckle projecting outwardly from adjacent end marginal edges of the corresponding plate; and a hinge pin loosely receivable in said knuckles for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units with the knuckles in aligned, end-to-end relationship, each knuckle having an open, first end permitting the hinge pin to be inserted into and extend through a major portion of the knuckle, the opposite end of each knuckle having projection means for blocking the movement of the hinge pin out of the knuckle past said opposite end, the hinge units adapted to be mounted in operative positions with the knuckles in aligned, end-to-end relationship to each other and with said first ends of the knuckles in proximity to each other, whereby the plates of said hinge units can be spaced from and coplanar with each other as they project in the same direction from the hinge pin so as to avoid engagement of the plates with each other and the need to mortise the structures to which the hinge units are to be attached.
 1. A hinge assembly comprising: a pair of substantially identical hinge units, each unit including a plate having a number of screw-receiving holes therethrough and a generally cylindrical, imperforate, pin-receiving knuckle integral with and extending along the entire length of one side margin of the plate, each plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of the corresponding knuckle, the ends of each knuckle projecting outwardly from adjacent end marginal edges of the corresponding plate; and a hinge pin loosely receivable in said knuckles for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units with the knuckles in aligned, end-to-end relationship, each knuckle having an open, first end permitting the hinge pin to be inserted into and extend through a major portion of the knuckle, the opposite end of each knuckle having projection means for blocking the movement of the hinge pin out of the knuckle past said opposite end, the hinge units adapted to be mounted in operative positions with the knuckles in aligned, end-to-end relationship to each other and with said first ends of the knuckles in proximity to each other, whereby the plates of said hinge units can be spaced from and coplanar with each other as they project in the same direction from the hinge pin so as to avoid engagement of the plates with each other and the need to mortise the structures to which the hinge units are to be attached.
 2. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said projection means is integral with the corresponding knuckle.
 3. A hinge assembly as sEt forth in claim 1, wherein each plate has a row of gauge holes therethrough near and extending longitudinally of each end marginal edge, respectively.
 4. A hinge assembly for swingably mounting a door on a jamb comprising: a pair of hinge units, each unit comprising a hinge plate provided with a number of holes therethrough and a generally continuous knuckle extending along the entire length of one side margin thereof, each hinge plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of the corresponding knuckle, each knuckle projecting outwardly from the end marginal edges of the corresponding plate; and a hinge pin for pivotally interconnecting the hinge units, each knuckle having a first, open end and a pin-receiving bore extending throughout a major portion thereof, the hinge units adapted to be mounted in respective operative positions on a door and a jamb, respectively, with the first ends of the knuckles in proximity to each other and with the knuckle corresponding to the door being above, in end-to-end relationship to, and in axial alignment with the knuckle corresponding to the jamb, said hinge pin being loosely receivable in the knuckles through said first ends thereof, the opposite end of each knuckle having means for blocking the insertion or removal of the hinge pin past said opposite end, the length of the hinge pin being sufficient to permit the pin to extend into and through a portion of both knuckles when the hinge units are mounted in said operative positions, whereby the hinge pin pivotally interconnects the knuckles and the plates of said hinge units can be maintained out of engagement with each other and can be secured to the door and the jamb, respectively, without mortising the same.
 5. A hinge assembly as set forth in claim 4, wherein said blocking means comprises a projection integral with each knuckle, respectively, at said opposite end thereof, each first end being beveled, the bevels of the first ends being complementary to each other when the door is in a predetermined operative position relative to said jamb, whereby the door will be biased in a certain direction when the door is out of said position.
 6. A hinge unit comprising: a plate having a generally cylindrical, tubular, pin-receiving knuckle secured to and extending along the entire length of one side margin thereof, said plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of the knuckle, the ends of the knuckle projecting outwardly from adjacent end marginal edges, one of the ends of the knuckle being open to permit a hinge pin to be loosely inserted into and to extend through a major portion of the knuckle, the knuckle having projection means across the pin-receiving passage thereof near its opposite end for blocking the movement of the hinge pin past said opposite end of the knuckle.
 7. A hinge assembly comprising: a pair of end hinge units and a central hinge unit for placement between the end units, each hinge unit including a hinge plate and a generally continuous knuckle secured to and extending along the entire length of one side margin of the hinge plate, each plate having a pair of opposed end marginal edges extending transversely of its knuckle, the ends of each knuckle projecting outwardly from the adjacent end marginal edges of the corresponding plate; and a hinge pin for insertion through the central hinge unit and into the knuckles of the end hinge units, each of the end hinge units having means at one end thereof for blocking the movement of the hinge pin out of the same, whereby the hinge units form a piano hinge when the same are pivotally interconnected by said hinge pin.
 8. A hinge assembly comprising: a number of substantially identical hinge units, each unit including an L-shaped hinge plate defining a pair of flat, mutually perpendicular segments, and a knuckle at one side margin of one of the segments remote from the other segment, the knuckle being symmetrically located relative to the plane oF said one segment and having a pin-receiving bore therethrough, said hinge pins adapted to be mounted on respective, relatively swingable parts with said knuckles in end-to-end alignment with each other; and a hinge pin receivable within the knuckles when the same are aligned with each other for pivotally interconnecting said hinge units.
 9. A hinge unit for a hinge assembly comprising: an L-shaped hinge plate having a pair of flat, mutually perpendicular segments, one of the segments adapted to be secured to a first of a pair of relatively shiftable parts, the other segment having a side margin provided with a pin-receiving knuckle thereon, the knuckle being symmetrically located relative to the plane of said other segment. 